Language Genres

Click on this empty grid – you should be able to print it off, or just draw one!

Now, I’m going to give you a list of language types and your job is to decide which category they mostly belong to. Of course there’ll be some overlap but don’t stress about that. Instead ask yourself which type of language dominates?

If the answer is…

mostly facts = information

mostly logical opinions = argument

mostly emotive manipulation = persuasion

mostly vivid imagery = description

There’ll also be some listed below that you’d need more information about before you could intelligently decide where to put them. For example, a cookery blog would fall mostly into the language of information; a company blog would be persuasive (buy our stuff!); a political blog would be argumentative and a personal diary-style blog would be descriptive.

You may also feel that some belong in two (or more) categories as they would combine elements of more than one type of language use. My advice is leave the ones you’re not sure about til the end – perhaps scribble the ones you decide to skip on a piece of paper so you know which ones you need to return to.

Right, here are the genres (don’t worry, not all of these can appear on the exam!)

Diary entry

Election leaflet

Guidelines

Letter of Application

Debate

Competition entry / Nomination

Travel Guide

Book / DVD blurb

Personal Ad (in newspaper or on a dating website)

Letter to the Editor

Novel

Campaign speech / Political speech

C.V.

Sermon

Personal essay

Instructions / How to video

Twitter bio

Newspaper article (opinion piece)

Survey

Memoir / biography / autobiography

Personal Statement (e.g. applying for UCAS)

Obituary

Court case (case for the prosecution / case for the defence)

Satire / Parody

Travel Writing (travelogue)

Proposal

Memo

Victim impact statement

Current Affairs programme (Primetime, Tonight w/V B)

Infographic

News report

Review

Encyclopaedia

Academic essay / thesis

Script / Dialogue

Labels / Packaging

Report

Short story

Blackmail letter

Online forum (eg. boards.ie)

Leaflet (eg in doctor’s surgery)

Billboard / poster

Play

Movie trailer

Editorial

Interview

Speech / Talk

Sports Journalism

Press Release